


Christmas Wrapping

by immen_sity



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, F/M, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Holidays, Mild Smut, Reunions, songfic (kinda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:21:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28009902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immen_sity/pseuds/immen_sity
Summary: All this year's been a busy blur and Olivia Benson doesn't think she has the energy for a festive Christmas, but Christmas magic just might bring this tale to a very happy ending.Happy holidays, everyone! This is loosely based on Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses.
Relationships: Rafael Barba & Olivia Benson, Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59





	Christmas Wrapping

**Author's Note:**

> happy holidays, everyone! <3
> 
> it seems i like joined the fandom too late for any Xmas fic challenges, but here's my own attempt at a festive fic! this is based on Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses, one of my favourite guilty pleasure Christmas songs - the story follows the lyrics somewhat closely.
> 
> set in 2018, after 19x13. it also gets *slightly* steamy at the end, although i wouldn't classify it as smut (my first time attempting anything of the sort)!

**Spring**

Olivia received a message from an unknown number one sunny April morning.

_Hey, Liv. Hope you're doing well. This is my new number. Miss you loads and hope to hear from you soon. -R_

Finally, a text from the one person she'd been hoping to hear from since a particular cold winter's day in February. He'd gone off the grid for a couple of months, but promised to contact her again as soon as he felt ready. One month passed and she wasn't sure if he'd make good on that promise, but decided to hold out hope, and she was glad she had.

She drafted a few responses, deleting them each time - too excited, too eager, too subdued. _Heck it_ , she thought, and clicked the "Call" button.

He picked up within two rings.

"Liv..." he started, voice soft and filled with emotion. "I'm so happy you called." She couldn't resist beaming hearing his voice again, so familiar yet suddenly so foreign.

"Rafael." Her mind was in overdrive. Two months away from New York City and she'd thought of a million things she wanted to say to him, but words were eluding her. Noah growing up so quickly. The arrival of Peter Stone. Difficult cases that made her wish for the return of her sharp, passionate ADA friend. How much she missed seeing him almost every day.

They chatted for a few minutes, Rafael revealing that he'd been travelling around the country and checking things off his bucket list, including visiting all the National Parks he possibly could. He was calling from Maine, where he'd spent a restorative fortnight alone on a farm. Actually, I'm going to be passing through LaGuardia next week, Liv. One-day pit-stop on the way to London for my Europe trip. How about we grab lunch then?"

Olivia checked her calendar and was dismayed to find out that she needed to be in court that afternoon. "I'm sorry, Rafael. I really wish I could see you again," she said regretfully, not bothering to hide the disappointment in her voice. All this time she'd been hoping for a long-awaited catch-up with him, only for fate to say otherwise.

"It's fine, Liv. Life goes on without me, I know." She winced a little hearing him say that, and could hear his shared disappointment. _He's still not over leaving the DA's office_ , she deduced. It was only natural after the trial, which had been splashed all over the tabloids and evening news for weeks. However, he quickly offered an alternative. "How about we Skype sometime? If you're okay with that?"

"I'd love that."

Hence began their monthly tradition of Skype calls, alongside frequent text message updates. It wasn't a perfect substitute for the in-person lunches and dinners they used to have and she still desperately wanted, but they made do with what they had. It seemed like he was in a new country almost every week - London, Paris, The Netherlands, Germany, virtually every European country off the top of her head - and she lived vicariously through him, wishing she could leave the country and join him wherever he was. Noah would join their calls occasionally and Rafael entertained him with photos and stories from his travels, exactly like how he'd fascinate Noah with stories from Harvard when he was still in New York. The first Friday of every month became their special date, when she'd set her iPad up on the kitchen counter, and they'd talk while she brewed coffee or cooked dinner and he lay in bed, unconcerned that it was the dead of night in Europe.

"You really don't mind staying up late to Skype? We can always talk earlier if you want to," she'd suggested, not wanting to impose his likely exciting travel itinerary.

"You're one person worth staying up late for," he'd replied, gentle smile never leaving his face and telling her that it was okay.

As the weather slowly turned warmer he even sent the occasional postcard and souvenirs - a teddy bear from Hamleys for Noah (a friend for Eddie, he explained), and tin of English Breakfast tea and some snacks from Fortnum and Mason for her, direct from London. She balked a little thinking about how expensive they must have been, but it wasn't unusual for Rafael Barba to spend on quality gifts. She hung the postcards on her fridge, and carefully cleaned the tin after she was done with the tea and kept it safely tucked away in her kitchen cupboard, a quiet reminder of her best friend every morning when she opened that cupboard to retrieve a coffee mug.

Occasionally she would wander into the DA's office, expecting to see him sitting behind his desk, only to find Peter Stone in the exact same spot, and she'd feel a prick of disappointment. She missed Rafael's regular visits to the precinct and watching him nibble on pretzels he'd stolen from the break room while she briefed the squad on an investigation, but delighted in their little tradition and text messages, which even Amanda, Sonny and Fin didn't know about. Without the workplace politics or arguments over cases, she finally felt free to be Rafael Barba's _friend,_ not just one half of a partnership borne out of convenience, proximity and shared responsibilities. They didn't need cases to bond over to feel close, and that filled her with joy.

Everything felt different in his absence from New York, but the promise of their continued friendship gave her a constant in a city that felt like it never stopped changing.

_This will be an okay year after all_ , she allowed herself to think.

* * *

**Summer**

_\- Rafael Barba has sent you a photo. -_

_Looking snazzy on that yacht, Rafael. (Is it yours? Ha.) Where are you now?_

_Miami. It belongs to a family friend, so no, not **my** yacht (I see what you did there). I wish you could see it for yourself, Liv._

She opened the second photo he sent - azure blue ocean, palm trees gently swaying in the wind, and felt a twinge of envy sitting in her (thankfully air-conditioned) office, surrounded by case files and paperwork.

_It looks lovely. If only I could get out of the city this summer._

_That's a pity, because I'd have invited you in a heartbeat. You and Noah would love the beaches._

Another photo, this time a rare selfie. He'd traded his dress shirts for a bright Hawaiian shirt, left his hair un-gelled and uncombed, and covered his green eyes with a pair of Ray-Bans. The smile on his face was 100% genuine.

_Ha, you know I don't do too well with sunburn. Still wish I was on vacation though._

_Miami’s great, but it’d be even greater with my best friend. There’s so much I wish I could show you._

Happiness filled her chest. He was thinking about her. She was still his "best friend", even after all this time. It felt awfully middle-school to ask someone if you were their best friend, but she rejoiced in his affirmation.

_I'm taking the yacht out for a while. Think some solo boating will do me good. Not sure if I'll have signal, so I thought I'd text you now._

Olivia wasn't sure what to feel. She was excited for him, but dreaded not being able to chat with him like they usually did.

_That sounds amazing. Send us pictures when you can_!

_Of course, Liv. Send my love to Noah._

_When do you think you're coming back to the city?_

_I'm not sure yet, but I promise I'll let you know when I do._

_Take care, Rafa. I'll be thinking of you._

_You too, Liv._

* * *

**Fall**

The year was turning out not-so-okay after all.

As the weather got cooler, jackets resurfaced, and students across the city headed back to school, Noah included, Olivia felt change in the air. Work picked up again, and she'd finally found some sort of a groove with their new ADA. Cases were solved, criminals were put away, and things almost felt like they were back to normal...

Except for Rafael's re-disappearance from her life.

It wasn't _quite_ a re-disappearance, but after a spring and summer of enthusiastic and frequent communication, it certainly felt that way. He'd taken on some pro bono work in Miami, apparently, and found his days filled with legal briefs and coffee once again. Their regular texts and calls had tapered off to the occasional text update or photo - just to make sure that both of them were alive and (hopefully) well. Noah asked for him less, placated by the knowledge that Rafael was busy working outside of the city, and too exhausted by Little League and his growing interest in modern dance to bring the subject up much anymore. And it wasn't like Olivia wasn't busy either. If she wasn't completely spent by the time she got home from work, chasing after Noah and helping him with his homework wore her out enough that she barely had time to take care of herself, let alone think of scheduling calls with Rafael.

Olivia tried to swallow her initial disappointment over not talking to her friend as often, but she also felt immense happiness for him. He'd been so hesitant about re-entering the legal world and finally found something that gave him purpose. The selfish part of her, however, still wished they talked like they did all spring and summer. Everything had changed after he left for his two-week boating expedition and lost phone signal, and never quite picked up again after he returned to shore.

_Busy is good. Busy means that we're both doing good things with our lives_ , she'd repeat to herself whenever she missed him. _At least he's healthy and well. He's found something good to do. He needs this._

She wondered what his daily routine was like. As far as she knew, most of his days in the city were spent at his office, the courthouse, precinct, Forlini's (with her) and his apartment, with the occasional trip to Times Square to catch a show or Museum Mile to use one of his many memberships. Was he now rising later, sleeping earlier? Did he still drink scotch while bent over legal documents at night? Had he made new friends, perhaps found someone to be the new Olivia wherever he was? Was he finally seeing someone?

_God_. The last thought made her shudder. Whether from the uncertainty of not knowing what her best friend was up to, or jealousy, she didn't even know. She was convinced that his farewell speech outside the courthouse in February had really been a declaration of love, but they'd never raised the topic again. Some things simply couldn't be raised on Skype, and she wasn't about to open a can of worms over a video call, or worse, text.

Was he even still her best friend if they weren't talking like they used to?

Did he feel the same way about her?

Many times she thought of texting him to arrange another video call, but she didn't want to seem needy. At least there was work to keep her distracted. Between cases, childcare and court, there really wasn't much time for her to dwell on anything else, and perhaps she was grateful for that. Maybe she'd have more energy come December, when things wound down for the year and both of them would finally find some time to re-connect.

Perhaps he'd even return to the city for the holidays. She kept her fingers crossed, and chipped away at her never-ending pile of work.

* * *

**1st December**

"It's Decemberrrrrrrr!" Noah screeched as he ran out of his bedroom. He ran to the wall calendar and excitedly flipped it to December, the accompanying artwork showing a snow-covered forest.

Olivia looked up from her cup of coffee and sighed quietly. The holidays were officially upon them. She rubbed her tired eyes and contemplated all the things that she needed to do: shopping for winter clothes for Noah, a new scarf for herself, Christmas cards for everyone at the precinct and friends across the city, squad party planning (she'd probably make Carisi do it), gift shopping for her friends...

She still missed her best friend. Whether he'd be back in the city, she didn't know. He promised to text her if he was, but she hadn't heard anything.

There were more pressing matters at hand, however, as she listened to Noah's excited babble about Christmas gifts and the upcoming celebration at the elementary school.

"Is it going to snow, momma?" he asked.

"I don't know, sweetheart, but let's hope it does so we can go to Central Park and make snowmen!" New York winters could be especially brutal, but Noah delighted so much in the things she'd long become cynical of - wet pavements, bitterly cold air, overpriced hot chocolates and ice-skating at the Bryant Park Christmas Village, and Santa appearances at Macy's. She could put aside _any_ of her personal problems just to make her son happy, and hoped that'd be enough to get her through what looked to be a particularly exhausting Christmas season.

**18th December**

Even if she'd never admit it openly, Olivia Benson was absolutely hating this festive season.

She hung the last of her ornaments on the stumpy plastic Christmas tree in the living room of her apartment and instantly collapsed onto the couch, eyes on the verge of shutting.

"Momma, are you alright?" Noah stood over her, tinsel and a string of lights in hand.

Olivia rubbed her eyes and stifled an enormous yawn. "I'm fine, honey. Just tired, that's all. The tree looks amazing; how about we fix the lights tomorrow?"

"Okay." He put down the rest of the decorations and retreated to the bathroom to brush his teeth while Olivia struggled to detach herself from the couch, grateful that Noah hadn't insisted on finishing _all_ the decorating in a single night. She'd had an exhausting 12-hour day at the precinct, which included questioning an uncooperative suspect, filing paperwork and dealing with a broken coffee machine. It was just one of many long days she'd had that month, and she was more than ready to take a long break - or, at the very least, sleep for 9 glorious, uninterrupted hours.

Seven days to Christmas and she'd hardly put any thought into what she and Noah were going to do. There simply hadn't been a free moment to think about Christmas dinner or gifts, let alone a full-blown Christmas celebration. The squad celebration was on the 24th and meticulously planned by Sonny and Amanda, but she had nothing planned for the actual day, which pricked at her conscience. Her general exhaustion easily trumped her motivation to plan something, and with the multitude of activity ideas in the city each year, she wasn't quite willing to sift through them for something fun yet not too taxing for either of them. All she really, wanted was a peaceful and quiet break from the everyday horrors of her job.

Olivia feared that Noah would be disappointed by how un-festive this Christmas was going to be, especially in comparison to the festivities of a year ago. She recalled the previous year's celebration fondly: the squad Christmas party, at which Cragen made a rare guest appearance as Santa and everyone splurged on alcohol and take-out from Forlini's. Olivia spent the evening in the break room chatting with Rafael, laughing and joking like they didn't have a care in the world. They drank champagne and ate pretzels out of the communal jar by the handful; by the end of evening, tipsy and jubilant, he'd wrapped his arm around her waist for the squad photo, standing so close to her that their shoulders touched.

How she wished she'd savoured that evening, a mere two months before their worlds imploded with the Householder trial. Now all she had was that photo, which she displayed on her living room mantle and reminded her of what felt like a bygone era.

She still hadn’t had a proper conversation with Rafael. She realised she actually he no clue where he was - all he’d sent were general updates on work, for which he apparently travelled a lot, or customary messages to assure her that he was well. And she hadn’t had the time to be particularly chatty herself, with all her work and general busyness with Christmas cards and presents. Heck, she hadn’t even asked him for his new address so she could send him a card. It was too late for that now, she realised, but she could at least check in with him.

_Hey Rafa. Hope you're well. Are you going to be back in the city for Christmas?_ she finally texted, after deliberating what to say for five solid minutes. She hated that they were back at the semi-awkward "hope you're well" phase and not engaging in the light-hearted banter that made up most of their spring and summer, but she didn't feel like she had much of a choice, given the current state of their communication.

She was pleasantly surprised when the familiar grey bubble popped up below her message almost immediately.

_I don't think so, unfortunately. Can't get an affordable flight out of Chicago with the holiday rush. But maybe we can Skype on Christmas? If that's not going to interfere with your plans, of course._

_Chicago._ Just a couple of hours away by plane, but the distance between them felt as endless as the emotional gulf she feared was forming. She swallowed the disappointment at the back of her throat. _At least he offered to Skype_. That was something she missed and wanted to happen again. It'd been far too long.

_That'd be fantastic. It's just Noah and me home for Christmas this year, and I'm sure he'd love to see you again, even if it's on a screen._

_And I'd love to see you again_ , she thought, but decided not to emphasise that detail.

_I'll see you then, Liv. Can't wait._

This was enough to make her go to Instacart and add some groceries for a nice Christmas dinner to her cart. Finally, a bright spot to lighten up the hectic holiday season.

**24th December**

The 24th promptly rolled around and Olivia wasn't any less tired. The squad party ended shortly after 10, and everyone headed home to their families and children. Noah promptly fell asleep the instant they got home and put Santa's milk and cookies out, while Olivia laid out the ingredients for the following day’s Christmas dinner. As much as she'd enjoyed Carisi's semi-drunken karaoke and their very competitive game of 3 Truths 1 Lie, she was absolutely exhausted and knew she needed to sleep if she planned on actually cooking the ingredients she'd bought.

She reached for the measuring cup in her cupboard, and once again caught a glimpse of the Fortnum & Mason tea tin, still a pristine robin’s egg blue and reminding her of her friend’s conspicuous absence. If only she'd saved some of the tea bags. English breakfast tea was now _his_ flavour, and the brands she got at the bodega just weren't the same.

Her phone buzzed just as she climbed into bed, and her eyes lit up sending the sender.

_See you tomorrow, Liv._

Olivia felt some of her sadness and fatigue melt away.

_See you tomorrow, Rafa._

**25th December**

_Turkey seasoned, potatoes boiling, vegetables roasting._

Noah sipped a cup of freshly-made hot chocolate (courtesy of her new and very versatile coffee machine - a gift to herself) and watched _Home Alone 2_ on the TV while Olivia busied herself in the kitchen. Despite her exhaustion from the party the night before, Noah's Christmas jubilation and the promise of an amazing dinner - and a video call - put a pep in her step. He was absolutely delighted by his presents and busied himself playing with them, which gave her precious time in the kitchen. Even though she wasn't much of a chef, she put her heart and soul into preparing dinner, aided by YouTube tutorials and Noah's encouragement. The tiny turkey, perfect for two, had just been seasoned and stuffed.

"When are you going to be done, momma?" he called out from his spot on the couch. 

"The turkey needs a couple of hours, sweetheart. We'll eat at 7, okay? You can have some animal crackers or fruit if you're hungry."

"Is there cranberry sauce for the turkey?"

"There will be, honey." She'd found a promising cranberry sauce recipe online and was looking forward to making it. Until she looked in the fridge and... no cranberries.

Frantic, she checked the Instacart receipt on her fridge (thank goodness she'd saved it). She was _sure_ that she added them to her cart. Sure enough, she had, but also missed the note on the receipt saying that they were out of stock and hence didn't come with her order. _Shit_. She didn't want to disappoint Noah - it was his favourite topping. For a few seconds she contemplated her options: head out to the nearest open supermarket for cranberries, or tell Noah that there would be no sauce.

Motherly guilt won and she dropped a quick text to Lucy, whom she was eternally grateful lived in the neighbouring building.

_Hi Lucy, I'm so sorry to bother you on Christmas. Would you mind coming by and watching Noah for just half an hour while I run to the bodega to get cranberries?_

Thankfully, the young woman replied within minutes.

_Of course, Olivia. I was planning to swing by to pass you and Noah some Christmas cookies anyway. I can be there in ten minutes!_

Ten minutes and plenty of thank-you hugs later, Olivia put her jacket on and left the apartment building, praying fervently that one of the bodegas or grocery stores nearby would be open _and_ have cranberries in stock. The one a block away was already shut, so she half-sprinted three blocks for the 24-hour supermarket, eager not to impose on Lucy any further.

She thanked her lucky stars that it was open, and immediately sprinted for the fruit section. There, on the shelf, were two small punnets left. Grabbing one, and picking up a small box of chocolates for Lucy along the way, she headed for the checkout and waited behind a well-built man in a navy jacket and jeans who had a basket of wine, chocolate and cookies in one hand, and a Longchamp overnight bag in the other. He stepped up to the counter and the attendant started bagging his items.

"Merry Christmas. How are you, sir? Cash or credit?"

"Great, thank you. I'll pay with credit."

_That voice._

_She knew that voice._

She almost didn't want to believe it, but her mouth moved before her brain could catch up. "Rafael...?"

He turned around, almost in slow-motion, as though he too, recognised her voice. "Olivia?" His face lit up instantly.

"Oh my God, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Chicago?" She could barely string a coherent sentence together, and her hands, still clutching her precious cranberries, trembled with shock. Electricity coursed her body as she drank in the sight of him.

"Back to see you and Noah. I guess I spoiled the surprise." He shrugged casually, but didn't wipe the massive grin off his face. She was looking at _her_ Rafael, still as suave and charming as he had always been, but visibly more relaxed than he looked ten months ago. There was a light in his eyes she hadn't seen in years - perhaps when he first joined SVU and hadn't yet been worn down by the gruesome crimes and criminals they prosecuted.

"You have _no idea_ how happy I am to see you." _Was this actually happening_? She almost wanted to cry. Ten months apart was far too long. And did he say that he'd returned just to see her and Noah?

"Forgot the cranberries, I see?" He chuckled, noticing the punnet she was holding like a prized treasure.

"Oh, yes. Noah's going to wonder where I went if I don't get back soon..." She stepped up to the counter and quickly paid, leaving an extra generous tip in the jar for them being open on a particularly chilly Christmas afternoon.

They walked back into the cold winter evening, standing so close that they were nearly touching. Her mind wandered back to the Christmas party - his arm around her waist, his breath almost caressing her ear, his scent as they leaned in for a hug...

She was hungry for his touch; he was hungry for hers. The air was thick with a mix of anticipation and tension; both delighted in the possibilities, but neither made a move to break the silence.

In actuality, there was no need for them to talk. Their pulses accelerated with every glance they stole at each other - something even a lifetime of Skype calls could not have replicated. Ten months had passed them by, but it felt like neither their love - nor desire - had tapered in the slightest. There wasn’t a need for Rafael to complete the speech he’d made outside the courthouse that winter. It didn’t take words to know what existed between them, now that they were face-to-face, breathing each other in.

And now they finally had the chance to make things right.

The ground was wet with a combination of slushy snow and rain - an unappealing combination, even by New York standards - and Olivia stared at her boots hitting the sidewalk, not wanting to fall on her ass within five minutes of seeing him for the first time in 10 months. That was until he wrapped his arm around hers, steady and strong. She smelled his Terre D'Hermes, as woodsy as she remembered it (she didn't tell him that she'd kept his handkerchief from the time she collapsed into his arms when Sheila took Noah, and smelled it until the scent disappeared). Wordlessly she hung onto him and him onto her, neither wanting an inch between them as they trudged down a silent Amsterdam Avenue.

She leaned in and whispered into his ear, her voice still unsteady and filled with trepidation. "We have so much to talk about, Rafa..." She didn't know how long he'd be staying, but was too shy to ask, nervous that knowing of an impending departure would overwhelm her mind with visions of a giant and menacing countdown clock. She didn't want to spend time with him that way. She just wanted him.

"We have all the time in the world," he smiled.

"Does that mean what I think it means?" She allowed herself to be hopeful.

"Yes, Liv. I'm back. I'm home."

She looked at him with tear-stained cheeks and an ear-to-ear grin. He wiped her tears with his palm and tightened his grip on her arm. _I'm not letting go_.

They had to walk fast, conscious of getting back to the apartment in a timely manner, but even as the clock ticked away, Olivia was giddy with a mix of disbelief, joy and shock. Here she was, walking alongside Rafael Barba, going to _her_ apartment, attending _her_ Christmas dinner. He was holding _her_ and neither of them was clueless enough to write off that intimacy as something merely between friends. It was tantalisingly _more_ , and just beginning. There was so much to process. So much she wanted - no, needed - to say before they got back to Noah. And Noah! Noah was going to be thrilled that his Uncle Rafa had returned. She hadn't even told him that they were Skyping the former ADA, intending to leave it as a surprise.

But everything could wait. She had the cranberries. She had Rafael. Her saving grace in an especially difficult year of change.

As they waited to cross the last street before reaching her apartment building, watching the snow falling around them, she let her tears fall. "It's been a really hard year, Rafa."

He pressed a slow, sweet kiss to the side of her head, wary of not planting it on her forehead, like he had on that fateful February day. "I hope I can make whatever's left of it better."

The feeling of his lips on her skin, although cold from the winter air, sent warm ripples of comfort through her body. "You already have. You always do."

Olivia and Rafael paused in front of her building, both aware that they had to head up to Noah but also wanting to steal an extra minute for themselves before they entertained the child's inevitable barrage of questions. He looked up at the familiar red-brick exterior, recalling the last time he'd stared up at it, the day he left New York City. How apt it was that this was the first building he was re-entering on his return. He still remembered the window that belonged to Olivia and Noah; the scratches on the front door that the super hadn't gotten around to fixing.

They clutched their grocery bags, paper crinkling while words eluded them. The setting winter sun had given way to a moody, dusky twilight, and the streetlights came alive, bathing them in a soft white glow. The streets around them were eerily quiet, giving them a rare feeling of privacy in a city where silence was a premium. She heard the bottles of wine clink in his grocery bag; he watched as she retrieved her keys from her jacket pocket, jingling in her hand.

He was alive to everything Olivia Benson - the way the snowflakes dusted her hair, the crinkle of her nose in the cold, the twinkle in her tear-stained eyes when she looked at him...

She exhaled softly and took his hand to lead him into the building, but he pulled her close to him instead; so close that their foreheads were pressed against each other's and she could feel his freshly-shaven stubble against her chin.

Neither knew who made the first move, but it didn't matter when their lips connected and she felt the New York winter disappear in his arms. Grocery bags crashed to the floor and the wet snow dampened their hair and cheeks, but the quiet ecstasy of their intimacy overwhelmed them.

If this was her reward for the year she'd had, she'd live through ten more just to feel his lips on hers. The silent pining, waiting and nights spent missing him - they were worth it.

“Wanna head upstairs?” she finally managed, breathless and adrenaline coursing through her veins.

“Let’s go,” he whispered back, picking up the grocery bags from the floor and putting his hand on the small of her back.

* * *

A few hours later, Olivia slid into her bed in postprandial bliss, muscles still aching from laughter and skin flushed with the afterglow of love. Her evening had gone impossibly well, and she almost couldn't believe how much things had changed in the last few hours. But it was real; the joy she felt was real. 

Noah had screamed with joy the instant he laid eyes on his Uncle Rafa, and spent the duration of their dinner excitedly trading stories with him, Olivia’s hand quietly resting on Rafael’s thigh the entire time as she watched her son’s eyes light up with each story of his travels. He eagerly unwrapped the Lego set Rafael bought for him while Olivia ate the chocolates - and pretzels - from their grocery trip. They then retreated to the couch and watched _The Polar Express_ , her hand still not leaving his skin. When they finally got privacy, they prepared for bed, his arms wrapped around her waist as she brushed her teeth, eyes not leaving each other's in the mirror; he undressed her, kissing her exposed skin tenderly as each garment fell to the floor.

She realised she'd never asked him to stay, but he didn't need to be told - they both craved the continuation of what they'd started on the Amsterdam Avenue sidewalk.

They made love under her covers, exchanging nary a word except for Rafael's quiet, triumphant cry of victory as his body trembled beneath hers. She luxuriated in his gentle caresses and care with her body, and let ten terrible months of pining and loneliness melt in his touch. His hands and lips roamed the continent of her skin; he never wanted to take his eyes off her, _his_ Olivia. 

As they lay side by side, legs intertwined and skin touching skin, Olivia listened to his slow, peaceful breathing, and let a profound bliss wash over her for the first time in months. There would be time to catch up tomorrow, the day after, and forever. For now, all she - _they_ \- wanted was to revel in their intimacy, each minute feeling like ten as the snow dusted the streets outside. 

"I love you, you know," she whispered, as their eyes shut and she nuzzled closer to him.

"I love you too," he whispered back, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

They fell asleep, secure in the knowledge that they were going to wake up in each other's arms, and would be for many mornings to come.

It'd been one long, hard year, but Christmas magic had finally brought their tale to a very happy ending.


End file.
